Founded in 1886 as the "Regia Scuola per le Industrie Tessili e Tintorie" ["Royal School for Textile Industries and Dyers"], in 1921 it became the "Istituto Nazionale di Chimica Tintoria e Tessitura" ["National Institute of Dying Chemistry and Weaving"], and assumed its current name in 1933. The Institute is dedicated to Tullio Buzzi, professor and director of the school from the time of its foundation up to 1926. It possesses around 220 instruments for scientific education, used especially for experiments in physics and chemistry (glassware in particular), dating from the first half of the 20th century. Cataloguing of the ancient instruments, a first step in setting up a museum of the Institute, is now nearing completion.